Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients
Introduction. The article is one of the very first autopsy reports worldwide, which associates COVID-19 infection and pulmonary fat embolism. Aims. To point to a crucial connection between a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and pulmonary fat embolism a...
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Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Biomedical Papers |
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| Online Access: | https://biomed.papers.upol.cz/artkey/bio-202502-0006_fat-embolism-and-covid-19-infection-autopsy-and-post-mortem-laboratory-findings-in-sars-cov-2-positive-patient.php |
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| author | Adriana Gavronova Lukas Hamerlik Margita Bartkova Vaclav Svrchokryl Veronika Kralikova Katerina Vranova Peter Ondra Martin Dobias |
| author_facet | Adriana Gavronova Lukas Hamerlik Margita Bartkova Vaclav Svrchokryl Veronika Kralikova Katerina Vranova Peter Ondra Martin Dobias |
| author_sort | Adriana Gavronova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction. The article is one of the very first autopsy reports worldwide, which associates COVID-19 infection and pulmonary fat embolism. Aims. To point to a crucial connection between a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and pulmonary fat embolism as one of the possible major mechanisms of severe COVID-19 symptoms. Methods. Lung, brain and kidney tissues examination of 16 full human autopsy cases. All deceased suffered from COVID-19 infection, none of them was admitted to hospital prior to death, immediate causes of death vary. Autopsies accompanied by microbiological examination and histological examination using Oil Red O staining were performed. Consequently, we have implemented a control cohort consisting of 16 deceased with no presence of pulmonary infection and various immediate causes of death. Results. Of the 16 autopsy cases, 11 (68.8%) were males and 5 (31.3%) females, with overall mean age 68.1 (39-86) years. Causes of death of studied subjects were natural, mostly from respiratory failure (in 12 cases, 75%). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed in 7 cases (43.8%). None of dissected persons had larger signs of body trauma. Pulmonary fat embolism was found in 11 cases (68.8%), which generalised to kidneys in 8 patients (50% of all cases, 72.3% of cases with pulmonary fat embolism) and to brain tissue in 1 case. Conclusion. We demonstrated a reasonable relation between a COVID-19 disease and a variously severe fat embolism, severity of which does not directly correlate with body weight. Further investigation or even change of medical treatment needs to be considered in patients with COVID-19. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0e6aeb8b177942149c5eb87af4bcbc2b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1213-8118 1804-7521 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedical Papers |
| spelling | doaj-art-0e6aeb8b177942149c5eb87af4bcbc2b2025-08-20T03:22:07ZengPalacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryBiomedical Papers1213-81181804-75212025-06-01169211612210.5507/bp.2024.014bio-202502-0006Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patientsAdriana Gavronova0Lukas Hamerlik1Margita Bartkova2Vaclav Svrchokryl3Veronika Kralikova4Katerina Vranova5Peter Ondra6Martin Dobias7Department of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicClinical laboratory, Psychiatric Hospital, Sternberk, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech RepublicIntroduction. The article is one of the very first autopsy reports worldwide, which associates COVID-19 infection and pulmonary fat embolism. Aims. To point to a crucial connection between a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and pulmonary fat embolism as one of the possible major mechanisms of severe COVID-19 symptoms. Methods. Lung, brain and kidney tissues examination of 16 full human autopsy cases. All deceased suffered from COVID-19 infection, none of them was admitted to hospital prior to death, immediate causes of death vary. Autopsies accompanied by microbiological examination and histological examination using Oil Red O staining were performed. Consequently, we have implemented a control cohort consisting of 16 deceased with no presence of pulmonary infection and various immediate causes of death. Results. Of the 16 autopsy cases, 11 (68.8%) were males and 5 (31.3%) females, with overall mean age 68.1 (39-86) years. Causes of death of studied subjects were natural, mostly from respiratory failure (in 12 cases, 75%). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed in 7 cases (43.8%). None of dissected persons had larger signs of body trauma. Pulmonary fat embolism was found in 11 cases (68.8%), which generalised to kidneys in 8 patients (50% of all cases, 72.3% of cases with pulmonary fat embolism) and to brain tissue in 1 case. Conclusion. We demonstrated a reasonable relation between a COVID-19 disease and a variously severe fat embolism, severity of which does not directly correlate with body weight. Further investigation or even change of medical treatment needs to be considered in patients with COVID-19.https://biomed.papers.upol.cz/artkey/bio-202502-0006_fat-embolism-and-covid-19-infection-autopsy-and-post-mortem-laboratory-findings-in-sars-cov-2-positive-patient.phpcovid-19coronavirusautopsypost-mortemfat embolismfes |
| spellingShingle | Adriana Gavronova Lukas Hamerlik Margita Bartkova Vaclav Svrchokryl Veronika Kralikova Katerina Vranova Peter Ondra Martin Dobias Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients Biomedical Papers covid-19 coronavirus autopsy post-mortem fat embolism fes |
| title | Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients |
| title_full | Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients |
| title_fullStr | Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients |
| title_short | Fat embolism and COVID-19 infection: autopsy and post-mortem laboratory findings in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients |
| title_sort | fat embolism and covid 19 infection autopsy and post mortem laboratory findings in sars cov 2 positive patients |
| topic | covid-19 coronavirus autopsy post-mortem fat embolism fes |
| url | https://biomed.papers.upol.cz/artkey/bio-202502-0006_fat-embolism-and-covid-19-infection-autopsy-and-post-mortem-laboratory-findings-in-sars-cov-2-positive-patient.php |
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